Tag: Apollo

Back during the early days, I would often mention, though not in any deep way, my affiliation with the nymph, Daphne. And although Daphne, in my understanding and doxa, was a hamadryad, it should be remembered that originally, and before her transformation, she was a naiad, a nymph of fresh Water.

So, as a tree, Water remained an important element in Daphne’s well-being, probably as much as the Earth she was rooted to. I imagine that being grounded in the way that she was, receiving her nourishment from the Earth below, was not exactly the same type of grounding that we understand today in our modern spiritual practices. I also imagine that when the sky opened up to shower her and the other trees with rain, from which moisture was needed, that it helped to wash away her troubled emotions, cleansing her and freeing her of much of the hurt and trauma she was subjected to during the pursuit from Apollon, which itself was the traumatic result of the vengeful Eros’ ire toward the God.

Water is often lauded as a carrier of emotion, and I have found this to be true in my own doxa and experience. Returning for a moment to the lore of Daphne, it is not surprising for me to realize that the pain and fear she experienced during her trial had to somehow be removed if she were ever to truly succumb to Apollon’s will. This necessarily happened after her transformation, because the perspective of a rooted tree, or hamadryad, rather than that of a free-roaming nymph allowed her to finally be embraced by Apollon’s fierce love.

Daphne must have underwent a series of dramatic purifications before she was able to accept Apollon’s love, and thus accept her fate as the vehicle of purification, through Him. In her final state, we see her in a sort of elemental convergence, where Water joins with Earth, and in turn joins with Fire as her leaves are burned to release the virginal essence still residing within her. This essence is then carried up to the realms of the Divine by Air, in the form of smoke lifting away impurities.

This, in my opinion, is the pinnacle of purification, for it is the convergence of all these elements together which fully expresses Daphne’s innate purity, which is then shared with us through the process of simply burning the bay leaves, or in another way by the preparation of khernips, which itself requires Water, sometimes salt, and usually burning herbs or bay leaves, which results in a small amount of smoke before being plunged into the Water, thus joining all of the elements.

So, in these examples, we see the importance of Water as the carrier of the pure essence of Daphne, and the vehicle through which impurities, both physical and emotional, are washed away.

For myself, as one who identifies in many important ways with Daphne, it is little wonder that Water should be so necessary in my own grounding efforts, for it is not only about the cleansing of impurities, but also the release of stagnant emotion, which through Earthen grounding alone I am unable to dispel. Thankfully, however, I was able to figure this out through meditation, trial and error, and some conversations with Apollon in which He all but hammered it into me that I am not, in fact, attuned to the Earth element in any significant way. This is made more evident in the make-up of my astrological chart, which sadly, contains zero Earth.

I’ve known this for a long time, but only recently have I put two and two together. I believe it is important for us as practitioners to be aware of the nuances of our elemental natures, and to take these nuances into account when attempting even the most basic of spiritual activities, such as grounding and centering. If we try to adhere to forms which are less compatible with our natures, we may likely find our efforts wasted, leading to more feelings of inadequacy and other negative emotions. It becomes a cycle of self-deprecation that can never help to improve our capabilities in the areas we wish to improve upon.

So, what does grounding through Water (for lack of an appropriate Water-based term) look like? For me, it may begin with visualization, as do many Earthen grounding techniques, but instead of visualizing a connection to the Earth itself, I see a pool of ground Water seeping up to cover my feet, or my entire body if I’m feeling particularly needy. I then try to synchronize the movement and flow of this visualized Water with that of my blood. Through concentration, the Water which comprises so much of my physical form then becomes inseparable from the visualized Water. It is at this point where I am able to release the pent up emotion, which is washed swiftly away, soaking deep into the Earth, along with the visualization.

There are other, more immediately physical ways to engage with Water in this way, such as running cool tap Water over one’s hands, then releasing the unwanted energy; or swimming, particularly in the ocean and other natural bodies of Water; and even standing outside during a heavy rainstorm. All of these I’ve found to be effective, and I will continue to experiment with other techniques as they present themselves, and as the need arises.

In light of recent events and pervasive attitudes in the pagan community and society at large, the Sisters of the Treasury of Apollon announce that we stand united with our community against racism and bigotry. The Light of Apollon and His lessons are for all people, regardless of race, country of origin, gender, sex, or sexuality.

Racism and bigotry in any form have no place in our community. Our community is, and will remain a safe place for PoC (people of color) to practice free from harassment. Anyone who believes themselves to be superior to another simply by virtue of the color of their skin is not welcome among us.

Our practice is not restricted to one group, ethnicity, or nationality, but is shared with all people.

When we are called by our Gods, oftentimes our first instinct is to run, to flee from Them and Their immensity. Sometimes we get far, other times not. Sometimes we spend years hiding for fear of being touched. Right now, as I type this, Apollon is within me, and I ride the current of His inspiration. His power is pervasive. I feel it in my skin, and in my breath. It compels me to do many things, to take many actions in this life of mine that perhaps I would not take, otherwise. To be a distributor of His word is one of them.

Oh, I would love Him still, would honor Him still, even without this power coursing through me, for I have loved and honored Him in times when this power was absent. I know, truly and fully, that my life would be made easier without this constant flow of Himself into me. But He is here, within, commanding that I speak His thoughts, and sometimes His words, for others to know.

Even now, after having become His in all possible ways, I sometimes run. I sometimes make walls between Himself and I. Apollon annihilates those walls. There is no barrier that He will not destroy for the sake of knowing that I am His– to hold and to touch, and to command. And in return for my willingness to let Him lead, I receive His boundless love, and His unfettered devotion.

To be touched by a God is to form a reciprocal link with Them. It is to house Their power, and Their thought, and Their smiles and laughter and pain and frustration, also. It is to see inside Them, to learn from Their mistakes, and to know Them in many intimate ways.

They will know you also. They will explore your fantasies and your desires, and They will hold onto your secrets and your hidden emotions. To be touched is to be as one, and to be at home within the halls of Another, as They make a home within you.

And there will be moments when They will ask that you open those halls, both Theirs and yours, to others. Sometimes these will be other Gods, and sometimes they will be human, or spirit– but open the halls you will. By Their insistence, you will open the halls to allow others to partake in your knowing of Them. You will teach by example, and sometimes through direct instruction. But know that though you may be a teacher, it is the God who shall lead the way. Through you, They will touch others.

You may not even always mean to act in such a capacity. For you, the sharing of Their touch may be completely accidental. In such times, you may begin to fear your own mark upon the world, even if restricted by choice or necessity to a small sphere of influence. Actions which you have taken may echo across vast distances and leave traces in the most unexpected quarters. This may cause you to feel that the consequences of your intent are beyond your control. They are. Though we may fear being a vehicle for Their touch, we must not allow the fear to dictate our actions.

Every action that we commit has the potential to be a holy one. Every word that we speak can cause a hundred hearts to melt into Divine hands. Compassionate words and gentle assistance will bring seekers into the fold of the Gods we love and serve. It is not up to us whether this happens, but as vehicles of our Divine Beloveds, we should try to be aware of its potential.

To be touched is to emit Their power in all that we do and are. So, we must be careful. So, we must be wary. Yet also must we be receptive to the needs of our Beloveds, and of those whom They would approach. Because sometimes, we will be the bridges over which They will traverse, in order to grasp the hand of another. And because we are touched, we will feel all the closer to Them, as They extend Their power, and Their embraces forward.

A couple years back, I (Sunweaver) wrote a short ritual for the Aegletia and felt that it was time to add a little bit to it. One thing I’ve always wanted to have as part of our tradition is some shared foodways. Given that we have many different backgrounds, that’s not easy, but the concepts surrounding the Aegletia give us the opportunity to develop some common culinary practices. I’ve outlined some ideas and will be testing them out this year, but I would also like to invite all of you to share your thoughts and maybe even recipes. The great thing about this is that you can do as much or as little of this as you want to and you should be able to accommodate these ideas, even with a tight budget. I’ve been there myself and I tried to write these guidelines with a mind toward compassion for those of us with smaller budgets or who may not have access to a wide variety of ingredients. First, I offer a blessing for food, which I like to say before a sacred meal. There’s a long-ish list of blessings, but you are meant to choose from those that are relevant to your particular meal. If you don’t have beans, for example, you can leave out the one to Kyamites.

**** Blessing the Meal ****

We give thanks to you, Immortal Gods, for the bounty before us.

May you bless our meal, so that from it we might gain strength, health, and long life.

We give thanks to Hestia, for blessing our hearth.

We give thanks to Zeus, for bringing the rain.

We give thanks to Apollon, for healthy crops and herds.

We give thanks to Dionysos, for the gift of wine.

We give thanks to Demeter, for the fruits of the Earth.

We give thanks to Athene, for the gift of olives.

We give thanks to Triptolemos, who taught us to farm.

We give thanks to Aristaeos, who taught us to make cheese, keep bees, and tend animals.

We give thanks to Kyamites, who taught us to grow beans.

**** Guidelines for Eating During the Aegletia ****

First Night: Purification

Drink nothing but water today and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Meals should be high in fiber and plant-based. If you have any sensitivities, such as lactose intolerance, avoid those foods especially today. Avoid added and refined sugars, where possible, as well as highly processed foods.

There are a lot of “detox” foods and drinks floating around, but the science behind them is dubious, at best. Nutritionally speaking, water and fiber are your two best weapons against toxins in the body. Our bodies are usually very good at expelling toxins, but need water and fiber as the vehicle with which to do that.

Include dates, which Mother Leto ate upon Lord Apollon’s arrival. Include imported foods to remind us that Delos is barren and produces no food for herself. For our purposes, any food not produced locally or regionally is sufficient to consider “imported.” I live in the American South, for example, so anything produced west of the Mississippi river and north of Kentucky would be considered outside my region and, therefore, “imported,” even if it’s not necessarily from another country. The distinction isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but rather one you can make for yourself based on what you would consider “regional.”

Apollon’s arrival may be cause to have a somewhat bigger, nicer, “Sunday Dinner” sort of meal, since we are inviting our Bright Lord on this day.

Food that has been caught from the wild or hunted would be appropriate for the third night, but availability and expense of something like venison or wild-caught fish might prevent this option from being a practical one. Instead, if you live in a household with children, it is their day to choose their favorite meal. Otherwise, a favorite meal from your own childhood, one that inspires fond remembrances, would also be appropriate. If you have pets, this is a good day to give them a special treat.

Example: Hot dogs, sweet potato fries, and baked beans with finely chopped onions and apples. For the dog: a small serving of unseasoned sweet potato, thoroughly cooked and skinned.

Fourth Night: Leto

Once again, this is a good night to serve dates, for the same reason as we did in the second night. This night, it is the mother’s night to choose what’s for dinner. If you are not yourself a mother or no mothers live in the household, you might choose something that reminds you fondly of a motherly figure in your life. This does not necessarily need to be your own mother, just someone who nurtured you as Mother Leto nurtures Her own children and those devoted to Her. Drink only water today and kindly offer water to others when you can. The people of Lycia denied water to Mother Leto, but water is for everyone and should be shared freely.

There are some foods that are supposedly good for your brain and may help you be more alert and aware. The scholarship on this may change over time and we can always make adjustments if that happens. A modest amount of caffeine is appropriate today and foods like flax seed, almonds, eggs, beets, fatty fish (such as salmon), walnuts, fresh fruit, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains, broccoli, carrots, winter squash, and dark chocolate are purported to be good for concentration, focus, and memory.

For the sixth night, it doesn’t matter what you decide to make as long as you put some effort forth into making it look nice. Make food with lots of bright, natural colors, make use of a little garnish, arrange the food nicely on the plate, tidy up the kitchen table, put out the good china. Even if you’re having chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, put a sprig of parsley on top of that mac and cheese; make it look a little bit fancy.

This is a good night to invite a friend to dinner or have a potluck with friends. You could even share food with friends and neighbors. There’s a lot of room for creativity and opportunity for strengthening friendships on this day.

Example: Chili and cornbread, but with friends.

Eighth Night: Quietude

For the eighth night, you will want to avoid caffeine and have foods that are calming in nature. Again, like the fifth night, our ideas about what foods are meant to have a calming effect on the body and brain might change over time and we can adjust accordingly when we have new information. As of now, however, you might consider asparagus (which tends to be expensive this time of year), avocados, berries, oranges, foods containing zinc (oysters are suggested, but I find them repulsive), walnuts, almonds, salmon, spinach, turkey, and oatmeal.

Hera gave an apple tree to Zeus as a wedding gift and it grows in Hyperborea under the heavy guard of the daughters of Atlas, the Hesperides, and the dragon Ladon. Not even Herakles could go and get any apples himself (having had to ask Atlas to do so), and even if we could, we would have to return them. We do, however, have delicious mortal realm apple trees, so thank the Gods for that! We can eat “golden,” yellow, or green apples on this day to remind us of the probably way more amazing ones that grow in Hyperborea.

This is also a good night for simple comfort foods, since we will soon be parted with our Bright Lord, the Discerning One. This may mean different things to different people, depending on your upbringing, but warm soups and stews or any sort of fare that reminds you of the comforts of home will do nicely. This is not a day for fancy food that takes hours to prepare.

We are obviously extremely late in getting this posted today, but better late than never, right? First, an announcement: The Treasury Newsletter is on hold until further notice, as our editor has a lot going on right now and not enough spare time to focus on it. When she is ready, we’ll see about resuming the Newsletter. Until then, each new month’s calendar will be posted separately, so no one will miss it, if they are looking for it. So, with that, Blessed Noumenia, everyone! ❤

We find ourselves waiting in Agetoreios, for that which we have long hoped for, but, is what we have hoped for truly what is best? If we have waited so long, why has our idleness not been rewarded? Perhaps it is time to cease waiting, for what is not ready, may never be ready for us. Our destiny awaits, regardless. When we accept this, the goal shall become tangible.

Treasury Month Agetoreios (IX), 2019 right-click to open

**All Oracular Forecasts are divined twice a year, on Aegletia 7, and Ktistêsia.

I have written often of Apollon’s term in Hyperborea. Of course when it comes to the cycles of Apollon in Hyperborea there are scholarly discussions of the god traveling to Hyperborea only once every 9 years, thus uniting it with the 9 year cycle of the original organization of the Pythian Games. This would be before the games were later reorganized in four year periods like those of the Olympic games. Now if these scholars are correct and the games were synchronized with the departure and return of Apollon to Delphi then would have his absence in Hyperborea been moved by the Delphians to coincide with the new date of the games? I don’t think anyone has successful answered this to my satisfaction.

Largely among modern worshipers we honor it as a yearly event, which seems to be inspired by a departure and return which we have from Delos. At Delos we have a mingling of the Hyperborean myth with that of the Lycian myth in which Apollon both returns from Hyperborea, with the maidens, and the Old Man of Lycia is paramount, who not only returns Apollon from Lycia to Delos, but also attends to the building of the temple of Apollon at Delphi with the Hyperborean men (at least one of whom, Agyieus, is Apollon…but quite likely both are used symbolically to represent different manifestations of Apollon as the builder of Delphi). For as most are probably familiar, Leto, after birthing her children on Delos, proceeds to carry them to the Xanthus in Lycia. This journey is also bound up in the tale of the Lycian frogs, as well as the unification of Xanthus with Apollon, Artemis and Leto in the forces preserving Troy in the Iliad.

In Delian tradition, despite its early history with the myth of Hyperborea, we have a yearly departure of Apollon to Lycia, where Apollon had his winter oracle. Thus the year was divided equally between Delos and in Lycia on the division of the year by the equinoxes. I think that this seasonal abode of the god for half of the year is also what is chiefly tied to the idea presented by Pausanias from Arcadia, of Apollon being one of two seasonal gods. This, from spring equinox to the autumn equinox, is the time of the year in which Apollon’s domain is acting in nature the strongest. If I remember correctly the Delian calendar differed from the Attic calendar in that it began its year on the Noumenia following the equinox, whereas in the Doric calendar it followed the autumnal equinox. With the case of Delos this makes particular sense as the year begins with the return of Apollon from Lycia.

Lycia of course has an interesting place in all of this. Like what is speculated of Hyperborea, Lycia is a very real place, but also serves as a kind of spiritual place as well. Apollon when called the one who is born in Lycia, the Lycian lord, refers perhaps less to the physical place Lycia, but rather to that Apollon is born in light (as Lycia, refers to wolf, from which we get the myths of Leto being led to Xanthus by wolves, and light just as much as Apollon’s epithet Lykeios). In all regards we see Lycia being accounted as sacred to Apollon as much as Hyperborea has been attributed. In the Iliad the people of Lycia were considered particularly those people of Apollon in a manner I find common with the views regarding the Hyperboreans.

This is not to suggest that Lycia and Hyperborea are the same place, though descriptions following the Orphic Argonautika and academic studies does suggest a possible link of Hyperborea with eastern Europe following along the Danube river to the North. So it is *possible* that there may have been an idea of a relationship between the eastern Lycians and the Hyperboreans who were said to have traveled initially to Delos. That we have the Old Man of Lycia appearing with the Hyperboreans in Delian myth does give a certain strength to this, as with the arrival of Apollon with the Hyperborean maidens, knowing that Apollon has traveled to Lycia in the Delian cycle. So perhaps it was conceived that Hyperborea was located in close proximity to Lycia, or within reasonable distance to each other that would bring the Lycians and Hyperboreans in company together in their legendary arrival to Delos.

Whether Delphi eventually picked up this yearly calendar of Apollon’s movement from Delos is rather unknown, though most modern worshipers tend to experience and worship it as a yearly event rather than following the Delphic calendar in which Apollon was gone for a year once every nine years. It is possible that Delphi, after the movement of the games, altered their celebrations of the movement of the mythos. I have suggested before that people who want to incorporate both Hyperborea and Lycia in their worship of Apollon can do so without any problems. Either by observing yearly trip to Lycia and then every nine years a Hyperborean trip, or by linking the concepts of the travel to Hyperborea and Lycia. If there is anything in any probability of a relationship between Lycia and Hyperborea then it may make further sense to do so.

We can thus celebrate Apollon who is in abode of the light, where the gardens of Hyperborea flourish, where the swans sing, where gold deer graze, and there dwelling people beloved by Apollon, in a land abundant in fruits and holy grain in this glorious land. Which has less to do with geography and more to do with ongoing spiritual symbolism and the kingdom of Apollon in general. And as scholars have been confounded by the lack of evidence in the geographical regions that are ascribed to Lycia, or rather a lack of early period evidence of the kind that would back up such a physical transmission, it is quite plausible that Lycia was treated in terms much like that of Hyperborea. Mostly conceptualized in a spiritual direction, inspired by a place and people rather than Apollon literally taking up residence every winter in Lycia. Thus his oracle was therefore probably viewed in the same concept of being “away,” without it actually being moved to another physical location. As such the symbolism between what is going on with Hyperborea and that going on with Lycia is united in its ideology.

The Aegletia (October 1st through October 9th, 2019) will be our eighth annual celebration of our Lord’s Departure. This simple guide is given, that any who choose to, may prepare their homes, or other spaces, for Apollon’s arrival and presence during the festival.

There are a few specific ways in which you may enrich your space, beginning with the cleaning and organizing of the space you have chosen to utilize. Declutter, and put away everything that has a proper place. Dust, and wipe down your surfaces, along with sweeping, vacuuming, and anything else that you know needs to be addressed. This doesn’t have to be a super deep clean, but certainly enough to be welcoming and comfortable for your important g/Guests.

After the cleaning, you may want to look for seasonal flowers or fruits, especially those local to your own area of the world, and place them decoratively around your space. If the leaves have started to turn, even those make a lovely addition to the mood and atmosphere. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, perhaps some young buds, or leafy plants, and of course, flowers. This is a time for us to mark the shift in the land, and we must not ignore our own locales. Our environments are the foundations to Treasury practice. Be aware of the land upon which you dwell, and flow with the turn of the seasons, as you experience them, first and foremost.

Note also the fleeting nature of Apollon’s time with us before His final departure, during the Ninth Illumination. Many flowers and plants last only a little over a week after being cut. So, with the festival lasting a total of nine days, by the time the Ninth Illumination arrives, many of them will be ready for appropriate offering to the ritual fire, should you choose to have one.

Moving on to other ways of attuning our spaces toward Apollon’s grace, we take note of the origin of our festival’s name. As the Aegletia is given its name after Apollon Aegletes, our Lord of the Setting Sun, and of the waning light, we must also be aware that what we feel during His Departure is not actually predicated upon the meteorological experience of the season of winter, as exists in the Northern Hemisphere. Apollon makes His journey at the same time each year, in all places, and winter is not the universal season experienced everywhere at this time. Summer holds its own mysteries in conjunction to His Departure, therefor, those in the Southern Hemisphere should feel no less free to fully exercise their own ways of acknowledgement and celebration. Think of the waning light as a metaphor for His encroaching distance, rather than taking the language literally, when it does not apply to your environment.

Having said that, let us move the conversation back toward decoration. Crystals, especially bold, sunlight colors, and those which are traditionally associated with Apollon, are a great addition to your space and festivities. Many Apollonians, including our Sisterhood, are fond of carnelian, or of orange or yellow calcite, as well as amber, quartz and selenite. You can read up on the properties of these crystals if you wish to incorporate them into your decorative choices, but this is not strictly necessary. These are, of course, not the only crystals or stones that one may decide to utilize, and all are encouraged to make their own correspondences, that every aspect of the Aegletia be attuned to their needs and wants.

Crystals or stones may be placed upon the altar, or within His shrine, during the week leading to the festival, that His blessing may be bestowed upon them. Leaving the crystals or stones out (in a safe location) at or near dusk for a succession of days, will allow them to absorb the solar energies which are present, that those energies may to transferred to the space that you are preparing. On the first day of the Aegletia, spread the crystals or stones decoratively about your living space, asking Apollon to extend His blessings across all areas of the home.

Another important preparation would be to clear the space of negative, or undesired energetic influence. This may be done in a variety of ways, and any that you are familiar and comfortable with already will suffice. One simple method of doing so includes the use of prepared salt water. Fill a clean jar with water, add a generous amount of salt (tap water and table salt are absolutely acceptable, though some may choose spring water or sea salt, as suits their tastes), speak your intent into the concoction, seal the jar, and place it upon your kitchen or dining room table. The jar will absorb any negative energy pervading the space, and should be emptied (onto the ground somewhere off your property, or alternatively, down the drain of your kitchen sink) and refilled once a day for best results. Should you choose to continue this during the festival proper, the emptying/filling of the jar may become another meaningful part of the daily/nightly ritual.

The reason for clearing the negative energy of the table is to prepare it for the convivial energy of celebration that should begin to permeate the household, as the First Illumination approaches. The table is also a suggested place for a small altar or shrine for the Divine Guests of the Aegletia.

And finally, it is encouraged that participants set aside a cozy area of the home, perhaps a living room, perhaps a bedroom, or even a different room of your choosing, for the presentation of gifts or other offerings for Apollon, Leto, and Artemis. This could be done near the home’s main altar or shrine for Apollon, or a new shrine or altar created specifically for the festival. Be sure to decorate this area appropriate to your tastes, and Apollon’s liking. Another use of this space may be the creation of the farewell gifts that you will present to Apollon on the Ninth Illumination. It can be a beautiful place of love and conversation, storytelling and dance, and whatever other celebratory ways you choose. If children are present, be sure to include some age-appropriate activities for them, as well, throughout the Aegletia festival.

May all be blessed, and may our Lord see you swiftly and tenderly upon the morning of the Second Illumination.